﻿OF THE HINDUS. 261 



at Benares *. A total lunar eclipse was observed to 

 happen ac Benares fifty-one pahs later than a calcula- 

 tion gave it for Lanca, and 5 '"^ M = sixty-four 

 Yojana, the difference of longitude on the earth's 

 surface. 



According to RenncVs map, in which may be found 

 Ouge'm, and agreeably to the longitude assigned to 

 Benares, the equinoctial point Lanca falls in the East- 

 ern Ocean, southward from Ceylon and the Maldha 

 Islands. Lanca is fabulously represented as one of four 

 cities built by Devatas, at equal distances from each 

 other, and also from Sumeru and Badavcanal, the 

 north and south poles, whose walls are of gold, &c. 

 and with respect to Meya\ performing his famous de- 

 votions, in reward of which he received the astrono- 

 mical revelations from the sun, recorded in the Surya 

 Siddhanta, the commentator observes, " be performed 

 " those devotions in Salmala, a country a little to the 

 ie eastward of Lanca: the dimensions of Lanca are 

 <f equal to one twelfth part of the equatorial circumfe- 

 " rence of the earth," &c. Hence, perhaps on in- 

 quiry, may be found whether by Salmah is not meant 

 Ceylon. In the history of the war of Rama with Ra- 

 wan, the tyrant of Lanca, the latter is said to have 

 married the daughter of an Asura, named Meya ; but 

 these disquisitions are foreign to my purpose. 



For the dimensions of the moon's cacsha (orbit) the 

 rule in the Sanscrit text is more particular than is ne~ 

 cessary to be explained to any person, who has informed 



* " This day (astronomical Jay) is accounted to begin at mid- 

 li night under the refba (meridian) of Lanca ; and at all places 

 " east or west of that meridian, as much sooner or latter as s their 

 " desantcra (longitude) reduced to time, according to the Surya 

 u Siddhanta, Brahma Siddbanta, Vasishtha Siddbanta, Soma Sidd- 

 u banta, Parasero Siddbanta, and Aryabbatla. According to Brab- 

 *! magupta and others, it begins at sunrise ; according to the Ro- 

 «* maca and others, it begins at noon ; and according to the Anha 

 (i Siddbanta, at sunset." (7ha on the Surya Siddbanta). 



S 2 



